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Despite hoax, 'Sad Irish Fan' to keep up cancer work

George Schroeder, USA TODAY Sports
7:03 p.m. EST January 18, 2013

The now-debunked story of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o's girlfriend dying from cancer was a large part of the inspiration behind a Notre Dame alumnus starting a fund to fight cancer. While Dan Tudesco says he was stunned to learn the girlfriend was fictional, he says he'll continue his anti-cancer work.(Photo: Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

Dan Tudesco says false story that Manti Te'o's girlfriend died of leukemia is 'beyond comprehension'

Despite hoax, 2006 Notre Dame graduate says he believes in the cause and will keep it up

Campaign expected to get a boost from Notre Dame promotional video, but it was taken down

When Dan Tudesco's disappointment went viral – ESPN's coverage of the BCS national championship captured the Notre Dame alumnus in the stands, distraught over the one-sided loss to Alabama, and he was soon known as "Sad Irish Fan" – he said he figured setting up an anti-cancer fundraiser in the memory of Manti Te'o's deceased girlfriend was a nice way to capitalize on the attention.

Tudesco said he was pleasantly surprised at the response to the campaign – through Thursday evening, about $4,400 had been donated in little more than a week.

Yet like most everyone else, he was stunned to learn the woman did not exist.

"The hoax is beyond comprehension," Tudesco said, adding: "We believed Manti had suffered a significant loss. In light of what's come up, we've removed Lennay's name from the site."

Now, the effort is known as the "Sad Irish Fan Campaign." But Tudesco, who said he graduated in 2006 and now works in public relations in New York, said he plans to continue the online campaign with funds funneled through the website indiegogo.com going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Inc. He said the initial goal when the site went online Jan. 9 was to raise $5,000.

The fundraising campaign was poised to get a boost when a video crew from UND.com, Notre Dame's official website, contacted Tudesco after seeing Twitter conversation about the campaign. An interview with Tudesco was posted Tuesday on the Notre Dame athletic department's YouTube channel. Yet according to Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, the school had known of the hoax since Dec. 26. The video has since been taken down.

Tudesco, who says he hasn't been in contact at any point with "anyone official at Notre Dame or the administration or with Manti himself," said he did not believe the video crew knew the story was a hoax.

"I don't think there would have been anyone (on the video crew) in the loop on this at the time the interview happened," Tudesco said.

Tudesco says he planned to continue the fundraising campaign beyond the initial goal.

"The inspiration for this doesn't really change," he said. "We still feel inspired by the stories around the team this year, and that included Manti.

One thing that has been remarkably steady in a season full of surprises has been the performance of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, center, taking aim at a Wake Forest ballcarrier Saturday.
Matt Cashore, US Presswire

If the USA TODAY Sports Media Group survey is any indicator, Notre Dame senior Manti Te'o at the very least will have the highest Heisman
Trophy finish ever by a linebacker.
Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o waits for the snap during the second half of Notre Dame's 21-6 win over Boston College in a NCAA college football game in Boston Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012.
Winslow Townson AP

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o leaves the field after his final game at Notre Dame Stadium, a 38-0 win against Wake Forest that helped propel the Irish to the No. 1 ranking for the first time in 19 years.
Matt Cashore, US Presswire